Eur. Phys. J. A (2017) 53: 160
https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2017-12352-0

Regular Article - Theoretical Physics

Proton emission with a screened electrostatic barrier

¹ Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, RO-077125, Bucharest-Magurele, Romania
² Academy of Romanian Scientists, 54 Splaiul Independenei, RO-050094, Bucharest, Romania

^* e-mail: rbudaca@theory.nipne.ro

Received: 15 May 2017
Accepted: 14 July 2017
Published online: 10 August 2017

Abstract

Half-lives of proton emission for nuclei are calculated within a simple analytical model based on the WKB approximation for the barrier penetration probability which includes the centrifugal and overlapping effects besides the electrostatic repulsion. The model has a single free parameter associated to a Hulthen potential which emulates a Coulomb electrostatic interaction only at short distance. The agreement with experimental data is very good for most of the considered nuclei. Theoretical predictions are made for few cases with uncertain emitting state configuration or incomplete decay information. The model’s assignment of the proton orbital momentum is in agreement with the differentiation of the experimental data by orbital momentum values realized with a newly introduced correlation formula.